BlueSteps Career Management and Executive Search Blog

The BlueSteps Career Management Blog is written with a C-level audience in mind on career management topics ranging from executive compensation, executive resumes, and interview tips to networking, executive job search, and gaining visibility as a professional in one’s industry.

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If negotiating your salary makes you uncomfortable, you are not alone. In a survey conducted by Salary.com, only 37 percent always negotiate their salaries—while 18 percent never do. Even worse, 44 percent responded that they never brought up the subject of a raise during their performance reviews.

What’s behind this reason? If you guessed fear and lack of negotiating skills, you’re correct.

Whether you are preparing for an imminent executive progress review, are entering salary negotiations with your CEO or are simply surveying your executive career options and would like to master the art of negotiating executive compensation before making your next big move, it is never too early to begin your research into what you are worth, and how to attain your financial goals.

As the saying goes, “What goes up must come down,” and oftentimes, that is true, too, of one’s executive position. While it’s not inevitable for every career to end in a termination, should that occasion befall you, it’s best to be prepared.

It has been reported by Forbes that executives who changed jobs last year increased the amount of compensation they received by 17 percent. But it is not always necessary for executives to change jobs in order to fulfil their compensation goals.

It is not uncommon for executives to love the job that they are in, but feel that they are underpaid and could make a lot more money somewhere else. In fact, a reported 65 percent of the working population feels the same, according to a survey conducted by Salary.com.

Executives negotiate millions of dollars on behalf of their employers for contracts, products, and services every year. Why then is it so difficult for most executives to negotiate their salaries when offered a job? Whatever the reasons, senior managers, directors and C-level executives are not immune from negotiating their salary for a new job opportunity.

For first-time expats, an offer to work internationally presents many questions that are often difficult to answer. How does one know if the offer is attractive? What is the cost of living in the host country? What benefits can one expect? A salary offer of $20,000 USD per month may seem rather tempting but not if one is going to live in Luanda, Angola, where rent alone can easily cost that amount. This article will give a basic overview about expat executive compensation packages and outline what to expect from them.

At today’s Annual Meetings of public corporations across the United States, the media, investors, and stockholders have placed executive pay and compensation practices under their microscopes. As executive compensation and incentive plans continue to command attention, the SEC, IRS and the US Congress each have created new disclosure rules and regulations. It is imperative that HR professionals, compensation specialists, and corporate counsel be aware of the upcoming series of SEC and stock exchange listing requirements affecting how compensation committees approach pay practices.

“In business as in life, you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate,” according to negotiations guru Chester L. Karrass.

Whether you are negotiating compensation for a new job, requesting a raise or new responsibilities, or cinching a deal for your current company, you’ll get better results if you master the art and the skill of negotiating.

My husband took the Chester Karrass course years ago and I swear he wins every one of our “negotiations!” Perhaps by studying these tips myself I’ll improve my outcome.